A military tribunal in eastern Congo on Friday charged soldiers with indecency and other charges related to fleeing the battlefield, as the government struggles to contain violence and attacks in the mineral-rich region where many armed groups operate. Eight people were sentenced to death.
In March, Congo lifted a moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place for more than two decades, saying those found guilty of treason and espionage could flee without proper punishment. Human rights groups criticized the decision.
Five people, including children, killed in explosion at refugee camp in eastern Congo
Alexis Orenga, a lawyer for Parc Orenga, one of the soldiers sentenced to death, said his client did not flee the battlefield because he was arrested in his mission area.
A military tribunal in eastern Congo has charged eight soldiers with indecency and other crimes related to fleeing the battlefield, as the government struggles to contain violence and attacks in the mineral-rich region where many armed groups operate. sentenced a person to death. (Photo provided by Wang Xin/VCG)
“This is an extraordinary ruling. I think it needs to be immediately challenged in the High Military Court,” he told The Associated Press.
A military court in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, acquitted the other three soldiers of all charges and released them.
“Instead of repairing our security institutions, these kinds of decisions only further weaken our armed forces and further heighten the fear of those on the defensive,” civil society activist Moise Hangi told the Associated Press. It will be,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Decades of conflict in eastern Congo has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 100 armed groups fighting in the region, most of them fighting for land and mines containing valuable minerals. It’s about management. Some are fighting to protect their communities.
Many groups have been accused of mass murder, rape, and other human rights violations. The violence has displaced approximately 7 million people, many of whom are beyond the reach of aid.
